E3 2005: Civilization IV details arrive

News - Firaxis latest looks ace...

As far as this gamer is concerned, if given the choice of only one gaming system and one game I would choose a PC and the latest Civilization over any of your fancy next-generation strumpets. Give me good, solid gameplay that never falters and only needs graphics to encourage enough people to buy it so they can develop the next version. So the release of a range of details about the fourth in this illustrious series has come pretty close to making my day, and probably would have if I hadn't been to see Episode III just after midnight today.

The Civilization series is the strategy game to end all strategy games and will be returning to PCs for the fourth time around the end of this year. Under development at Firaxis studios, the new version will utilise 3D graphics for the first time, a move which should go someway to improving the game's previously less than attractive visage. Incidental animations and a dreamy colour palette that should be easy on the eyes will help to make the necessary job of staring at your monitor for hours on end less of a chore. While the new engine will be the most immediately noticeable change to the game, Firaxis are labouring away to introduce a whole host of tweaks and enhancements which will endeavour to keep the game fresh while retaining its intoxicating blend of strategy, history and hegemony. Here are some of the many things coming to Civilization IV:

Faster-Paced Fun - Gameplay has been streamlined for a tighter, faster and more compelling experience.

Greater Accessibility and Ease of Play - An easy-to-use interface will be immediately familiar to RTS and action game players, and newcomers to the series will be able to jump in and play.

Tech Tree - Flexible Tech tree allows players more strategic choices for developing their civilizations along unique paths.

More Civs, Units, and Improvements to enhance and grow your empire.

Multiplayer - LAN, Internet, PBEM and Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) offer players all-new strategies and ways to play when competing or cooperating with live opponents.

Team Play - Whether playing multiplayer or single player, team play offers a new way of setting locked alliances that result in shared wonder effects, visibility, unit trading and shared territory that delivers a plethora of new strategic and tactical options.

Civ IV comes to life! - Beautiful 3D world with dozens of fully animated units (including culturally unique units) and totally customizable armies. Cities and wonders will appear on the map. Wonder movies are back!

Mods and Community Tools - Designed from the ground up for modability, the game contains a powerful map editor with XML and Python support.

Choose Your Leader - Most Civs now have 2 leaders from which to choose, with each Leader having traits that provide various bonuses to the player.

Civics - With the discovery of new techs, civic options can become available. Freedom of speech or slavery? Hereditary rule or open elections? This creates endless government choices and possibilities!

Religion - Now there are 7 religions in the game that are unlocked through researching. When unlocked, the religion spreads through a player's empire allowing them to use the religion to help manage happiness, gain gold and create Great Prophets.

Great People - As the player uses specialists they gain Great People points in the city that is utilizing the specialists. Great People include the Artist, Tycoon, Prophet, Engineer and Scientist. They can be used to get free techs, start Golden Ages, or join a city to increase its output.

Promotions - Each unit has a promotion path that emphasizes specific unit traits. Promotions include bonuses to Attack/Defend on specific terrains/features, movement bonuses, sight/visibility bonuses and increased withdrawal chances.

In-Game Movies - Civ IV will have over 70 in-game movies.

I pity the rest of the team here when Civ IV comes out, as getting me to do something other then play Civ IV will require an act of god.